Administrative Leave for Workforce Realignment and Other Purposes
Key claim: OPM proposes to amend its regulations to clarify permissible uses of administrative leave—including for deferred resignation and workforce realignment programs—and to specify when agencies may accept or deny withdrawal of a resignation in such contexts.
Abstract
(Proposed Rule · Personnel Management Office) The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposes to amend its regulations to more fully address the appropriate uses of administrative leave, including use in connection with deferred resignation programs and other workforce realignment initiatives, and for other purposes. OPM is also proposing to amend its regulation on resignations to clarify when an agency may accept or deny an employee’s request to withdraw a resignation in the context of a deferred resignation program.
Why this matters
For federal workers, the proposed rule changes when they can be placed on paid administrative leave and constrains their ability to rescind a resignation tied to workforce realignment or deferred resignation programs. For agencies as employers, it provides clearer authority to use administrative leave as a workforce management tool during restructuring. The rule is at the proposed stage, so terms may shift before finalization.